Self-closing surgical gown

ABSTRACT

A self-closing surgical gown including an anterior panel; a posterior left panel connected to the anterior panel; a posterior right panel connected to the anterior panel; a left sleeve connected to the anterior panel and the posterior left panel; a right sleeve connected to the anterior panel and the posterior right panel; and a closure brace including at least one horizontal bar, the closure brace connected to the anterior panel, the posterior left panel and the posterior right panel, wherein the at least one horizontal bar is configured preloaded to transform from a substantially straight longitudinal configuration where the at least one horizontal bar has a cambered cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction into a curved longitudinal configuration where the at least one horizontal bar has a substantially straight cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction by pressing on a convex portion of the cambered cross section.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a non-provisional patent application of U.S.provisional patent application 63/209,975 filed on Jun. 12, 2021 whichis incorporated in its entirety by this reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to sterile surgical gowns that can be enrobed andclosed by the wearer without the aid of another individual in such amanner to preserve a designated sterile zone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Surgical gowns are used by healthcare professionals for protection frompotentially harmful fluids, bioburden, micro-organisms and contaminantsto which they may become exposed during a surgical procedure. Exposureto pathogens and cross-contamination is a significant risk to both thepatient and the healthcare professional, therefore a sterile area withinthe gown is maintained. This area is typically maintained within aninterior space of the gown on a ventral side of the wearer along thevertical lines between the axilla (armpit area) and the horizontal linesbetween the umbilicus (the umbilical area) and clavicular line.

Included in the interior space are both sleeves from the fingertips tothe mid-arm to include the forearms.

Traditional surgical gowns are designed to be enrobed with the openingposteriorly facing to then allow for a non-sterile second person tosecure the inner rope tie and collar before holding the non-sterileportion of the “tie card”, which is wrapped around the wearers waist andattached as the gown is tied and secured at the wearers side.

The need for an additional person or assistant to secure the gownensures that sterility isn't compromised and key areas are notcontaminated.

However, increased contact also augments the risk of contamination bythe assistant and increases the time and manpower required to secure asurgical gown.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, there is a long felt need for a self-closing surgical gown thateliminates the need for an assistant, therefore decreasing time requiredto secure the gown and improving sterility.

The object is achieved by a self-closing surgical gown, comprising: ananterior panel; a posterior left panel connected to the anterior panel;a posterior right panel connected to the anterior panel; a left sleeveconnected to the anterior panel and the posterior left panel; a rightsleeve connected to the anterior panel and the posterior right panel;and a closure brace including at least one horizontal bar, the closurebrace connected to the anterior panel, the posterior left panel and theposterior right panel, wherein the at least one horizontal bar isconfigured preloaded to transform from a substantially straightlongitudinal configuration where the at least one horizontal bar has acambered cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction into acurved longitudinal configuration where the at least one horizontal barhas a substantially straight cross section perpendicular to thelongitudinal direction by pressing on a convex portion of the camberedcross section, wherein the closure brace is configured to secure theanterior panel, the posterior left panel and the posterior right panelabout a torso of a wearer of the self-closing surgical gown in thecurved configuration of the at least one horizontal bar.

The self-closing surgical gown according to the invention alsosignificantly reduces the contamination risk from the assistant duringthe process of securing the gown.

A self-closing gown also increases the zone of sterility beyond just theanterior side of the gown and forearms. The gown will retain sterilityon the exterior (external) lateral and posterior facets of the gown inaddition to the upper arms.

The possibility of 360 degree sterility is retained circumferentiallywithin the horizontal lines of the shoulders and the hips of the wearer.

A bistable closure brace within the gown enables the wearer to inserttheir arms into a pre-folded sterile gown and once the arms are insertedand the hands are exposed beyond the cuffs of the sleeves, sections of ahorizontal bar or vertical connecting bars within the bistable closurebrace race are pressed by hands of the wearer in sterile gloves whichtriggers the bistable closure brace to close around the wearers chestand waist safely and gently securing both gown flaps behind the wearerwith double-sided Velcro® or magnets without the need for a secondperson to assist.

Current “self donning” gowns are challenging to apply and they leaveflaps, pockets and tie loops potentially exposed in front of the wearerwhich can obstruct or interfere with surgical instruments, cords ortubing on the sterile field.

The self-closing surgical gown according to the invention eliminateseach of these problems, whilst still allowing quick and secure closure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in detail based on an advantageousembodiment with reference to drawing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an anterior view of the self-closing surgical gown;

FIG. 2 illustrates a posterior view of the open gown according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a detail of an anterior view of the bistable closurebrace in a straight position;

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-section view of the bistable closure brace inthe an open straight position:

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the bistable closure brace in acurved position;

FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of the bistable closure brace in thestraight position; and

FIG. 7 illustrates a bottom view of the bistable closure brace in thecurved position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 the self-closing surgical gown 10according to the invention includes a continuous anterior chest panel100, a continuous anterior lower panel 120, a posterior left panel 126,a posterior right panel 128, a left sleeve 112, a right sleeve 114, acollar 102 and a bistable closure brace 103. The posterior left panel126 and the posterior right panel 128 are connected to the continuousanterior chest panel 100 and to the continuous anterior lower panel 120.The right sleeve 114 is connected to the continuous anterior chest panel100 and the posterior right panel 128. The left sleeve 112 is connectedto the continuous anterior chest panel 100 and the posterior left panel126. The bistable closure brace is connected to an inside of theanterior chest panel 100 and the posterior right panel 128 and theposterior left panel 126. The anterior chest panel 100 includes a collar102 adjacent to a neck of a wearer. The sleeves 112, 114 terminate incuffs 116, 118 that seal wrists of the wearer.

The surgical gown has an interior side and exterior side and isadvantageously made from cotton, polyester, muslin or tightly wovenmaterials commonly used in traditional surgical gowns or a mix of theseand other materials.

The two sleeves 112, 114 are attached at a shoulder level of theself-closing surgical gown 10 and oriented to face in the direction ofthe continuous anterior chest panel 100 of the gown when theself-closing surgical gown is being wom by a person.

As shown in FIG. 3 the bistable closure brace 103 includes one or twohorizontal bars 104, 110 that may be connected by one or two verticalbars 106, 108. The horizontal bars 104, 110 are longitudinally straightin a packaged condition of the surgical gown as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6and have a cambered cross section perpendicular to the longitudinaldirection as shown in FIG. 4 . The horizontal bars 104, 110 arepreloaded in the longitudinally straight condition so that theytransform from the longitudinally straight condition into alongitudinally curved condition shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 when pressure isapplied to a convex side of the cambered cross section of the horizontalbar 104, 110 illustrated in FIG. 4 . The horizontal bars 104, 110 moveinto a stable longitudinally curved condition illustrated in FIGS. 5 and7 self-acting after the application of the pressure. In the stablelongitudinally curved curved condition the horizontal bars 104, 110 canform a coiled circle when ends of the horizontal bars overlap as shownin FIGS. 5-7 . The bistable closure brace wraps the surgical gown atleast around a portion of a waist and chest of a wearer in the curvedcondition.

The bistable closure brace 103 can be manufactured using either metalliccomponents or plastic components that have the properties to retain theappropriate structure and elasticity to remain locked and open untilpressure is applied to collapse and then to curve the bistable closurebrace 103 into the shape shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 .

The continuous anterior chest panel 100 and the continuous anteriorlower panel 120 of the self-closing surgical gown 10 include areinforcement panel stitched onto an interior section that secures abistable closure brace 103 at the self-closing surgical gown 10 toprovide secure self-acting closure of the self-closing surgical gown 10.

Two flat vertical panels are arranged on the front side of the gown thatconnect the two horizontal bars of the bistable closure brace 103 toensure a consistent closure around the wearer's torso.

Bistable means that the bistable closure brace 103 is stable in thestraight packaged condition as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 and in thecurved condition shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 after the convex outside of thecambered cross section of the horizontal bars 104, 110 has beendepressed causing the horizontal bars 104, 110 to snap from the straightcondition to the curved condition self-acting.

It is appreciated that the bistable closure brace 103 may be curved sothat the horizontal bars overlap as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 , but thebistable closure brace can also curve without the horizontal bars 104,110 overlapping while still functioning to secure the self-closingsurgical gown about the torso of the wearer.

The two posterior side panels 126, 128 of the gown remain open until theclosure is activated and they may include mechanisms to secure thepanels such as double sided Velcro or magnets or other fasteners 122,124 as shown in FIG. 2 .

Each gown will also have a collar 102 that closes once the bistableclosure brace 103 is triggered and the fasteners are connected. Thecollar flaps may also include fasteners such as Velcro® or magnets.

The self-closing surgical gown 10 includes a triggerable and self-actingclosure mechanism that allows the wearer to “self-tie” without the needto reach into or beyond the designated area of sterility.

The pre-folded sterile self-closing surgical gown will allow the wearerto gown themselves as they would with a traditional gown, with the addedbenefit of a bistable closure brace 103 inserted into the front of thegown that will close self-acting after pressing designated panels at afront anterior side of the self-closing surgical gown.

REFERENCE NUMERALS AND DESIGNATIONS

-   -   10 self-closing surgical gown    -   100 continuous anterior chest panel    -   102 collar    -   103 bistable closure brace    -   104 superior horizontal bar    -   106 right vertical connecting bar    -   108 left vertical connecting bar    -   110 inferior horizontal bar    -   112 left sleeve    -   114 right sleeve    -   116 left cuff    -   118 right cuff    -   120 continuous anterior lower panel    -   122 left panel closure    -   124 right panel closure    -   126 posterior left panel    -   128 posterior right panel

What is claimed is:
 1. A self-closing surgical gown, comprising: ananterior panel; a posterior left panel connected to the anterior panel;a posterior right panel connected to the anterior panel; a left sleeveconnected to the anterior panel and the posterior left panel; a rightsleeve connected to the anterior panel and the posterior right panel;and a closure brace including at least one horizontal bar, the closurebrace connected to the anterior panel, the posterior left panel and theposterior right panel, wherein the at least one horizontal bar isconfigured preloaded to transform from a substantially straightlongitudinal configuration where the at least one horizontal bar has acambered cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction into acurved longitudinal configuration where the at least one horizontal barhas a substantially straight cross section perpendicular to thelongitudinal direction by pressing on a convex portion of the camberedcross section, wherein the closure brace is configured to secure theanterior panel, the posterior left panel and the posterior right panelabout a torso of a wearer of the self-closing surgical gown in thecurved configuration of the at least one horizontal bar.
 2. Theself-closing surgical gown according to claim 1, wherein the at leastone horizontal bar includes two horizontal bars.
 3. The self-closingsurgical gown according to claim 2, wherein the two horizontal bars arereleasable from the substantially straight longitudinal configurationinto the curved longitudinal configuration by pressing on the at leastone vertical bar.
 4. The self-closing surgical gown according to claim1, wherein ends of the at least one horizontal bar overlap each other inthe curved longitudinal configuration.
 5. The self-closing surgical gownaccording to claim 1, wherein the closure brace is connected to aninterior of the self-closing surgical gown.
 6. The self-closing surgicalgown according to claim 1, wherein the anterior panel is continuous. 7.The surgical gown according to claim 2, wherein the two horizontal barsare connected by at least one vertical bar.